I just had breakfast for dinner tonight (mmmmm, breakfast for dinner) and I wondered about the differences between British and American breakfast. I am British, and here a standard breakfast is eggs either fried or scrambled, sausages, black pudding (which is made of pig's blood potato scones (which are a kind of flat bread made with potato flour) and often tomatoes or mushrooms, and the all important bacon. Some people add baked beans (Heinz) but I abhor them so I don't.

What is an American breakfast? I know about waffles with bacon and maple syrup (and I love it!) and I've heard of hash browns but I don't think I've ever had them. One big difference between the UK and US I think is the type of sausage available. Most non-Brits don't like British sausages because we have a percentage of bread or 'rusk' in our sausages. I was brought up with British sausages and can't eat any other kind: when I lived in the States the one thing I couldn't stomach were the sausages, they were too meaty for me. Are there any other differences?

Well, first, I highly doubt you'll find black pudding making the table in pretty much any American breakfast scenario, unless the cook is British.

Second, an "American breakfast" really varies based on where you are. In the South, a good breakfast will most likely include biscuits (the American kind) and gravy (usually sausage gravy), grits (ground corn kernels boiled with water or milk and generally served with butter, salt, and pepper), eggs, bacon/ham/sausage, and maybe a hashbrown casserole (hashed potatoes, cheese, general yumminess). Home fries are also an option (potatoes cut in small chunks and fried with bell peppers and onions, usually).

As far as sausage, I've never had British sausage, so I can't speak to the differences between British and American sausage. I prefer links to patties myself.

Home fries are also an option (potatoes cut in small chunks and fried with bell peppers and onions, usually).

Is that what that is? I had it for dinner today! Here I was thinking it was just a mess of stuff in a pan, and it's an actual dish.

Yep! Growing up, my mom just called them fried potatoes, although that might have been because she sliced them thinly rather than into cubes or chunks, but in restaurants, if that's what you want, you're going to be looking for home fries. I tend to eat them with gravy or ketchup.

Those are all some of the components of some typical American breakfasts. From what I see, people generally put together different combos of three or four of the above foods. Or more if they feel like it.

I'm American, but my family always has baked beans and corned beef hash for cooked breakfast. But according to my friends and husband, most Americans don't eat baked beans with breakfast. Maybe it's an Irish-American thing?

Canadian here. A typical restaurant breakfast (here and in parts of the US) would be eggs, bacon/sausage/ham, hash browns or home fries, and toast and jam. With ketchup, of course. Some places offer pancakes with bacon, toast, and jam. I was brought up on pure meat sausage - the breakfast sausages here are not meaty enough for me! Other than that, the British version sounds tasty.

Note - I don't remember ever having hash browns, so I can't tell you how they taste. I get home fries, although I've never had them with bell peppers or onions, just fried potatoes. Very tasty, but usually a massive plateful - either I stuff myself silly or I end up taking them home!

And now I vote we take a field trip to Nibsey's house. You know, just for research purposes.

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You are only young once. After that you have to think up some other excuse.

I'm American, but my family always has baked beans and corned beef hash for cooked breakfast. But according to my friends and husband, most Americans don't eat baked beans with breakfast. Maybe it's an Irish-American thing?

I don't really know about other areas (I'm in Utah), but I've never seen baked beans for breakfast. Corned beef hash is also rare around here, but I have seen it offered at a few restaurants.

If I was getting an "all day breakfast" diner style breakfast most places in Canada, I would expect bacon (usually with the option of "breakfast sausages" or thick sliced ham), fried eggs, toast and jam. Most places coffee comes with the meal though you can generally get tea instead. Frequently a token piece of fruit makes an appearance, usually a few orange slices or cantaloupe.

edited to add: I forgot homefries frequently come with an all-day breakfast (I see homefries more than hashbrowns, locally).

The second most common local breakfast is Finn pancakes and breakfast sausage, with generous amounts of maple syrup over both.

« Last Edit: October 03, 2011, 04:12:07 PM by Rohanna »

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